Captains Interview - John Oliver
John Oliver, who has represented Scotland Under 19s, gives his thoughts about his first season as Vice Captain of the 1st XI. After impressing throughout his first season at the club, he is looking forward to improving his leadership skills through his new role.
What have you been doing to keep fit/ busy throughout lock down?
"I’m still managing to get some cricket in through playing in the driveway with my wee brother which usually takes a few hours out of the day! Fitness wise, I have been following a few online strength and conditioning classes while also doing a few 5K runs here and there. Although in lockdown I think it’s actually a great opportunity to get really fit with so much time available, especially with the weather being so good."
Have you captained a team before?
"Yes, I captained my school side for a couple of years and I think we only lost one or two games in that time. The experience itself was a good one although the standard of cricket isn’t great, you can learn a lot about your own leadership style and it really allows you to grasp the responsibility required when out in the field when either batting, bowling or fielding - a captain should always set the bar in their attitude etc.
I have also captained a few representative teams on occassion, however these experiences were not as rewarding. I found that captaining was extremely difficult when I didn’t really know some players’ roles especially when the team changed significantly every game."
What type of captain do you think you are and how do you think you handle pressure situations?
"I think i’m the kind of captain who likes to lead by example on the field and for me this has to come from general attitude and etiquette along with the way I would try and apply myself on the field - fielding is arguably the only facet of the game you have 100% control with, so particularly in that area of the game.
I'm not particularly aggressive or ‘in your face’ but I have faith in my tactical side of the game and always think about what field change or bowling change etc. could influence the game in our teams favour. In the past I haven’t always handled pressure situations well but always try to reflect and learn after the game what I could have done better."
Cricket has many swings of momentum - how can you stay positive throughout a whole game & what else is different about being a cricket captain compared to other sports?
"In terms of staying positive I think it’s important to stay in the moment rather than worrying about what has happened and what will happen. Concentrating on that next ball/over and having a clear plan, even if it doesn’t work it’s important not to be in two minds. Improvisation is also important, as changing a plan is fine but needs to be clear and concise in the field setting for example.
In my opinion, cricket captaincy is up there as one of the more difficult in my experience. The tactical side of the game is so particular and constantly needs adapting that makes it more difficult than other sports."
Who is your favourite player you've played with at West and why?
"It’s hard to go past playing with Rory, just sharing a changing room with a guy that has played at the top level is pretty cool - I felt as though we all learnt a lot from him, but I know I certainly did from a cricketing aspect, and really hope we have the chance to play with him again at some point. Playing with Youngy is also very enjoyable just seeing how he goes about his business is really good to pick up on for someone like me trying to improve my general game. I think everyone last season was really welcoming and friendly which was a big factor to why I had one of the most enjoyable seasons to date."
What is your favourite cricket memory and why?
"My favourite memory has to be being selected for the Under 19 World Cup qualifiers a few years ago now. It was a great experience to be in a really professional environment and learn the ways and processes needed to give yourself the best chance of performing. It was a really rewarding feeling especially having pinpointed that as being a goal and achieved it. Unfortunately we were a mere 4 or 5 runs from qualifying which is also perhaps my worst cricketing memory."
If you could play another sport, what would it be and why?
"I played a lot of sports at school, which unfortunately I don’t play anymore such as rugby and hockey and would really like to give them another go. I still play a fair bit of tennis very casually usually with my brother or dad which I’ve always really enjoyed."
With uncertainty over the upcoming season, what does a positive season look like for you?
"It’s important to put the safety of everyone first, especially those most vulnerable to the virus itself and therefore if that means we only get a few games at the back end of the summer, so be it. I think any cricket would be a bonus at this stage and will perhaps put thing into perspective for things we have taken for granted in the past."
Some great thoughts from Jolly. In the Premier League, he scored 239 runs and took 7 wickets in his first season at West, an impressive start that I'm sure he'll be hoping to build on over the coming seasons.
